Drum opening tool



g- 12, 1941- J. D. O'BRIEN 2,252,406

DRUM OPENING TOOL Filed Aug. 4, 1939 INVENTOR. Lj afizesfl 0 {Erma ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT or r csy 2,252,406 V V Y DRUM OPENING TOOL James D. OBrien, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 4, 1939, Serial No. 288,341 (01. 30-22) Claims.

This invention is directed to .a tool for opening the ends of heavy metallic drums such as those which are employed as containers for tar, asphaltum and the like and in which the ends or heads of the drum are secured to the body by a beaded rim.

Heretofore drums of this character have been opened by such makeshift means as chopping the body or heads with an ax which in addition to consuming a considerable amount of time and labor presents the hazard of injury resulting from sharp irregular edges left by the ax cuts.

The present invention comprehends an improved tool which is particularly designed and intended for the purpose and by means of which drums of this character may be expeditiously opened While the hazard of injuries is reduced to a minimum.

More particularly the invention comprehends an improved tool of the indicated character which embodies pivotally connected jaws for gripping the beaded rim of the drum to afford a fulcrum and wherein one of the jaws is provided with a cutting blade and a guide finger with handles connected to the jaws so as to afford the proper leverage for swinging the cutter blade so as to rapidly and cleanly cut and sever the end or head of the drum from the body thereof.

With the above enumerated and other objects in View, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drum opening tool constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the tool illustrating the same in juxtaposition to a drum for cutting the same.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the tool which is in the nature of a pair of tongs or forceps includes a pair of handles [0 and II of the appropriate length to obtain the desired leverage and which handles are pivotally connected to each other by a rivet I2. Jaws l3 and I l are respectively carried by the handles i0 and II and said jaws are of substantially arcuate formation with pointed terminals I5 and It directed towards each other for the purpose of gripping the opposite sides of the beaded rim of the drum to fulcrum the tool thereon for vertical swinging movement.

The jaw I3 is provided with a depending cutting blade I'! having a forwardly directed cutting edge [8 disposed substantially perpendicular 'to the jaw. The cutting blade l1, adjacent its juncture with the jaw I3, is formed with a substantially U-shaped or reversely bent forwardly directed guide finger I9 which is spaced laterally with reference to the cutting blade and which is adapted to engage the outer side of the bead for guiding the cutting blade during the cutting operation.

In use and operation the pointed terminals l5 and I6 of the jaws l3 and M are brought into gripping relation with the beaded rim A of the drum B with the handles I0 and H disposed vertically and the cutting edge l8 of the cutting blade I"! in a substantially horizontal position. In this position the guide finger I9 engages over the outer side of the beaded rim A. The operator, while grasping the handles l0 and II adjacent their free ends, swings the cutting blade downwardly using the pointed jaw terminals l5 as a fulcrum. As the corner or point 20 of the cutting blade I! engages the head or end C of the drum, it will initially perforate the same and continued downward swinging movement will cause the cutting edge I8 of the blade to sever or shear the end or head C adjacent the bead while guided during the cutting operation by the guide finger l9. The cut thus made will be substantially coextensive with the length of the cutting edge l8 of the cutting blade.

After the cut has been made, the handles I0 and ll of the tool are then raised to the initial vertical position and by relieving the pressure on the handles the jaws are moved along the bead to a new gripping and fulcruming position where the operation is repeated.

What is claimed is:

1. A, tool for opening heavy metallic drums of the type having ends secured to the body by a beaded rim, said tool including a pair of pivotally connected crossed members providing a pair of handles on one side of the pivotal connection and a pair of jaws on the opposite side thereof, said jaws adapted to grip the opposite sides of the beaded rim of the drum to fulcrum the tool on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pivotal connection between said members, and a cutting blade carried by and depending from one jaw and provided with a reversely directed laterally spaced guide finger adapted to engage the outer side of the bead for guiding the cutting blade when the handles are swung downwardly from an upright position with reference to the drum.

2. A tool for opening heavy metallic drums of the type having ends secured to the body by a beaded rim, said tool including a pair of pivotally connected crossed members providing a pair of handles on one side of the pivotal connection and a pair of arcuate jaws on the opposite side thereof said jaws having pointed free terminals adapted to grip the opposite sides of the beaded rim of the drum to fulcrum the tool on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pivotal connection between saidmembers, and .a cutting blade carried by and depending from one jaw and provided with a reversely directed laterally spaced guide finger adapted to engage the outer side' of the bead for guiding the cutting blade when the handles are swung downwardly from" an upright position with reference to thedrum:

3. A tool for opening heavy metallic drums of the type having ends secured-to the'body by a beaded rim, said tool including a pair of pivotally connected handles, a jaw on each handle adapted to grip the opposite sides oi the beaded rim of the drumto fulcrum the tool, a cutting blade carriedby and-depending from one jaw havinga forwardbutting'edge, and areversely andfor wardly'directed"extension carried by the rear edge of'the cutting, blade and having its forward portion" spaced laterally with reference to the blade to provide aguide finger adapted to engage the outer side of the bead for guiding the cutting blade when the handles are swung, downwardly from'an-upright positionwith reference to the drum:

4. A tool for opening heavy metallic drums of the type having ends secured to the body by a beaded rim, said tool including a pair of pivotally connected crossed members providing a pair of handles on one side of the pivotal connection and a pair of jaws on the opposite side thereof, said jaws adapted to grip the opposite sides of the beaded rim of the drum to fulcrum the tool on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pivotal connection between said members, and a cutting blade carried by one of the jaws and adapted to cut the end of the drum upon swinging movement of the handles in one direction on the fulcrum point.

5. A-tool for opening heavy metallic drums of the type-having recessed ends defining a rim, said tool including a pair of pivotally connected crossed members providing a pair of handles on one side of the pivotal connection and a pair of jaws on the opposite side thereof, said jaws having means adaptedto grip the opposite sides of the rim :of the drum to :fulcrum the tool on an axisperpendi'cular to the axis of thepivotal connection-between saidmembers, a cutting blade carried-by oneof the jawsand provided-with a reversely directed laterally spaced guidefinger-- adapted to engage the outer side of the rim for guiding the-cutting blade when thehandles are swung' in a direction to cause the-cutting blade to shearthe drum head.

JAMES D. OBRIEN. 

